Just looking for a bit of encouragement

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 28 Feb 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

graylensman	28 Feb 2005
I'm working on learning the cards, and starting a journal. Right now I'm going through the Major Arcana, and jotting down what each card says to me, then checking here at AT to see what more learned people share regarding meanings. I derive more from some cards than others; and what's bothering me is there are a couple where I jot only a line or two, because (guess) i'm not grokking the deeper symbolism contained. Has anyone else experienced this?

April	28 Feb 2005
If you knew everything there was to know about a card there would be no need to jot notes in a journal. I think sometimes (for me anyway) deeper meanings, stuff I would have never guessed, don't reveal themselves except in a reading. Also some cards don't mean much right away just because I can't relate at the moment. Only start to worry when you can't think of anything to write at all. :) Peace, April

Apollonia	28 Feb 2005
Greetings, graylensman! Oh, yes, this has happened to me. In some cases I think it was a matter of my not yet having the life experience to fully experience all the card's meanings, and sometimes I feel I was actually experiencing something at the time that was blocking me. I used to look at the Devil, for example, and sort of think, "Oh, yes. The Devil. Hmmm. The Devil. Well, he's certainly quite...hmmm." Well, at the time I was in a job that I hated, but I felt I couldn't leave. Government, no less. I couldn't read the Devil, because I was living it. The card held too much meaning for me, and I didn't want to see it. If I am having trouble getting started with a card, I will actually write down a detailed description of the picture, body positions, colors, everything. One small detail will often seem particuarly important, and there's my jumping off point. It also can help to actually position yourself as that character, and speak out loud to yourself what it feels like to be in that position--powerful, sad, etc. Don't let it get to you. Just jot down what you are seeing, and go back to it later. Thinking about the card just before drifting off to sleep can help, too. But hold it gently in your mind, don't press for it. This should be fun, not additional stress. It doesn't have to be in line with anyone else's insights, it just has to speak to you in that particular moment.

Thirteen	28 Feb 2005
graylensman wrote: I derive more from some cards than others; and what's bothering me is there are a couple where I jot only a line or two, because (guess) i'm not grokking the deeper symbolism contained.? Welcome, Graylensman! Well, you're just starting. Give it time. As said, you might just not have the experience or knowledge to see the deeper symbolism of certain cards just yet...or maybe it's just not time for you to see it. That's the thing about the Tarot--you never stop learning, never stop seeing new things. And sometimes, you don't grok a card until one sunny day, just laying out the cards for yourself, or someone else, or maybe just excitedly looking through a new deck...and suddenly, AH! it all comes clear. What you're going though, by the by, is very common. We all start with fairly simple interpetations and surface feelings--some very simple--as we try to learn those 78 cards. Some of the cards we like (or don't like) and see more in, others we just pass over, they have no resonce for us just yet. Then we begin to read for ourselves and new possiblities rise up, deepening our understanding. Then we begin to read for others and the possiblities start to explode! Soon, we're seeing things we never noticed before in the cards.... You don't need to be writing dissertations in that journal just yet...but rest assured, you will in time. This is just the beginning of a marvelous journey of discovery. Don't try to rush it; take your time and enjoy each and every step.

Cagedflame	28 Feb 2005
Hey, on my "cheat sheet" of quick reference material on suit, number, and major card common meanings, some major arcana cards only have a few words while others have nearly a paragraph. And in some of my readings, some cards only get a sentence while others get an entire page. I just got my first deck, and some, well, lots actually, of the cards I don't have a feel for yet. It took my friend about a year of serious usage to get to the point where she generally just KNOWS what the cards are saying. I'm convinced that this beginning basic research phase is essential to building up to intuitively being able to read the cards. And sometimes it'll take a while to make the card "click." I sat and stared at my Ace of Wands depicting mainly a tree stump, stumped myself, until I read that Aces often represent the raw potential of a suit, and then I went OHHH! I GET IT NOW! and once I knew that I was able to make a lot of intuitive sense of it as a card and when it came up in a reading. If an intuitive understanding of the symbolism of the cards is what you're after, it takes time, so don't worry, and be patient.

IDN	28 Feb 2005
Tarot is a way of thinking about (and interacting with) life. The cards are a tool for that. By regular use of the cards, your perception will change. Most people go through life with the same perception they have always had. The chance to change your perception for the better, is one of the most beneficial things (I believe) you will ever do. And all it will cost you is the price of a single deck and a lifetime of study. You are not "really" learning about the cards, you are learning about you, and consequently others. Enjoy it, I am! Regards, Ian

mnemosyne7	28 Feb 2005
Hi Gray, You sound like you are doing a wonderful job learning the Tarot. If it's any consolation, I have been reading for about 20 years, and looked at the Moon card from my primary deck (been using it since 1993 on an almost daily basis) and saw an image I had never seen before! And that opened up a whole new realm for me. May your eyes and heart remain open and may you never stop journaling. (Oooh - writer's cramp.) Mnem

huredriel	28 Feb 2005
Hiya Gray, You are definitely not the only one!!!! I am a beginner too and this is still happening to me :).

graylensman	28 Feb 2005
thanks for the responses, everyone! Intellectually, I knew that I was not the first to encounter this obstacle, but I needed to find out for certain at an emotional level. Very important to me (for a number of reasons). IDN, your post hits on exactly why I'm delving into tarot. And Thirteen, your brief guide to the cards has been invaluable!

psychic sue	01 Mar 2005
graylensman wrote: I'm working on learning the cards, and starting a journal. Right now I'm going through the Major Arcana, and jotting down what each card says to me, then checking here at AT to see what more learned people share regarding meanings. I derive more from some cards than others; and what's bothering me is there are a couple where I jot only a line or two, because (guess) i'm not grokking the deeper symbolism contained. Has anyone else experienced this? I've been reading off and on for 25 years and I still have to refer to books for some readings I do. There are so many different interpretations dependent on the question, the position of the card and the querant themselves. I always struggle with the star and the fool. I know the standard meanings, but I always seem to have trouble interpreting these two, so you are not alone! There's always something new to learn about the tarot, which is why this forum is so great. Good luck on your journey with the tarot, Love Sue x

scholar	01 Mar 2005
Hi Gray, I learnt the tarot less than a year ago, so I know *exactly* what you mean. Here are some pointers which helped me connect with the cards: 1. I kept the cards under my pillow at night for almost a week. The first time you do this, you may get a slight headache, but that's normal. It means that you are connecting with the cards. 2. How are you "reading" the cards? I found that the best way was to meditate on each card (by meditate I mean concentrate on the card) for a while, and then write down whatever came to me. 3. Also, did you clean the cards soon after you bought them? I usually clean them by holding the cards over a lit candle or incense stick one by one for a few seconds. Other energies already in the cards could be preventing you from opening up to the cards. 4. It's completely normal to know more about one card than another. I love the Magician, and can read the card easily, but when it comes to the Hierophant, I get stuck. It just comes with time and practice I guess! 5. Oh, another thing. Before you start with your cards, just close your eyes for a few seconds and try to concentrate on the cards, say a short prayer to help you connect with the cards. This may help, but only if you believe in it. Hope this helps!

tinkerbell	01 Mar 2005
i've really enjoyed reading this thread and taking on board everyone's opinions and advice..but i must just say.........this is the first time i have ever come across the term GROKKING!!!!! what does it mean!! yours wonderingly, tink xx

WalesWoman	01 Mar 2005
Tinkerbell, you must read "Stranger in a Strange Land", by Robert Heinlein. Think I spelled that right. Grok is more than understanding...it's like you become it, it becomes you...it was one of those terms I spent the whole book trying to figure out. In the end, it's sort of absorbing awareness and understanding and becoming one with it. Ok, now for cards, meanings and all that...lot of good thoughts and advice, but the best one so far I think was no matter how long we read, we don't know all the meanings and ways they can be used. It always seems there is another layer of meaning with every reading and to limit yourself to just the few DM's, limited your ability. But like everything, it all comes with time, patience and using the decks you have, reading and gathering information and using common sense. (I find a lot of questions could be answered with simple common sense, but Tarot adds the perspective to see it)

The Just looking for a bit of encouragement thread was originally posted on 28 Feb 2005 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.